Mark's tent mates just stared at him in complete silence and they appeared to be somewhat confused. They didn't think a boy like Mark could be capable of attempting murder but hey, looks can be really deceiving. Even Dr. Pendanski was in silence for awhile, noticing the stares of the other boys. This was really awkward and uncomfortable.

He cleared his throat. "Um, okay, I just remembered that The Warden, Mr. Sir, other counselors and I are having a meeting." He was a bit shaky and his fingers were fidgeting. "I'm already a few minutes late so uh, maybe you should get ready for bed. To make up for this; we'll continue counseling tomorrow right after you're finished digging your holes."

All the boys except for Mark, groaned.

"Oh man!" Bomber whined.

"Come on, counseling can't be that bad, Randy." Pendanski left the tent, looking like a nervous wreck. It was obvious that he had lied about having a meeting to attend to.

"This bites man." Speed told Bones.

"I bet yah the new kid just made that up." Chewy plopped down on his cot.

"Yeah." Grim agreed. "He doesn't strike me as the type who'd attempt murder at all."

Mark listened to their conversation as he laid on his side.

"So what do you think the kid really did to get sent here?" Snapper wondered.

"Who knows? But I'll give him credit for what he said. It did get us out of counseling. You should have seen the Doc, man. He was like fidgeting." Chewy gave Bones a light shoulder punch.

"Whatever." Bones shoved him away, not in the mood for joking around. Instead, Bones just sat on his cot and glared at Mark. He did not like his new tent mate at all. First this kid is faster at digging holes than him and now he gets them out of counseling by scaring Dr. Pendanski. Bones couldn't even get himself and the others out of counseling. What made Mark any different?

When Mark was sure that all his tent mates were asleep, he carefully got up from the cot, and got the heart shaped necklace out of his backpack. He put it around his neck, walked over to the chair he sat down on during counseling and carefully picked it up. He unzipped the tent, went outside and put the chair down.

He sat down and took the locket off his neck. He stared at the night time sky and tears filled his eyes as he thought about the only person in his life who was truly worth caring about. Why did she have to leave him like that? She promised him that no matter what happens; she would always be with him. Well where was she now?

At uncle Kal's house; Kal was in the living room reading a newspaper. He thought about Mark and wondered how he was adjusting to the camp. He always felt bad for the boy, ever since he was little. Kal thought of the possibility that Mark had problems. Kal could see it. When Mark was a little boy; he showed some signs of autism.

Mark didn't socialize with the other kids much when he, his mom and dad would visit relatives. Mark would just cling onto his mom. A lot of things also bothered Mark. He didn't like loud noise or being alone without Laura. He would cry and scream if she left him for even a second. He'd sit on her lap, she'd carry him and when she had to go to the bathroom, he'd go with her.

Kal always wondered why Mark wasn't close to John. It was almost as if he hated his own father. He wouldn't even look at John. Kal began to look at his brother and he had this mean look on his face. This scared Kal. Especially since the look was directed towards Mark. Did John hate his own son?

Mark was five years old during this family visiting and it was mid July. His cousin Lucy was just turning five and she was having a big party. A lot of her friends from school came and there was even a kitty pool in the backyard. She and her friends were loud as they played and squirted each other with water guns. Mark didn't want to play with them when Kal tried to get Mark to participate.

Mark just shook his head, made noises and wrapped his arms tightly around Laura who was holding him. He had his arms around her real tight and buried his head into her chest, crying and screaming. He was acting like Kal was going to just snatch him from her and force him to play with the others against his will.

Kal watched from afar as Laura calmed Mark down. He realized Mark wasn't like the other kids and as he watched her calm Mark down, he had a sad look, feeling sorry for the poor boy.

Mark began to scream and cry again as he heard a balloon pop. He was afraid of balloons because they popped. The balloons had to be removed from the room and Mark was clutching onto Laura's shirt real tight.

"Oh give me a break." John mumbled.

"What's his problem?" Kal heard a boy ask while pointing at Mark.

Lucy shrugged. "I don't know. He's weird."

This really hurt Kal.

"Hey Lucy!" A girl shouted. "Let's go play in the mud!"

Lucy ran outside and the boy followed after looking at Mark weirdly.

Laura took Mark to the guest bedroom where they were away from all the loud noise. "You wanna hear a story?" She asked.

He nodded.

She sat next to him. "Well this isn't like the fairy tale stories I read to you every night. This is a true story. It's about your great, great grandmother."

As Mark laid on his cot; the story that his mother told him played in his head. He wondered if he was at the same place where his great, great grandmother used to teach many years ago.

Soon it was four thirty in the morning and all the campers were awoken by the same usual loud noise. Mark and his tent mates changed into their work suits and rushed over to Pendanski who handed them their honey covered tortillas and canteens. After they got their shovels; they headed towards the digging site.

Bones was whispering to Grim, Snapper, Speed, Chewy and Bomber about something. He was talking about Mark who was eating his tortilla.

"I'm going to make this new guy so miserable and humiliate him. Listen up; here's the plan." Bones began.

At 12 when Mark was finished with his hole; he headed for the shed to put his shovel away and went to get his recreation clothes. The boys watched as he put his recreation clothes on a chair and stepped in the shower.

"Okay, come on guys, quick, while no one's looking." Bones whispered. They rushed over to the shower area, grabbed Mark's recreation clothes and ran off with them.

Bones chuckled. "The others are going to get a real laugh out of this. Let's go to the wreck room now and tell them all about our prank on the new guy."

Mark finished his four minute shower and went to the chair, only to discover that his recreation clothes were gone! His towel was gone as well.

Bones rushed over. "Mark! You're probably wondering where your stuff is. One of the counselors told me that they saw a few stain spots on them. Follow me."

Mark followed him to the Wreck room.

"Alright, everyone, here is our big laughing stock!" Bones pointed at Mark and the campers from the other tents all pointed and laughed at him.

Mark's cheeks turned red as he realized that this had been a set up by his tent mates.

"Maybe this will teach you to have some respect for me." Bones told him, smiling before turning his attention back on all the campers. "And get this! You're gonna be laughing your heads off big time on this one! During our counseling session yesterday; Mark said that he got sent here for attempted murder!"

Bones laughed Before continuing. "Attempted murder? Please, he looks like a little wimp and he's only 4 foot 8. He couldn't hurt a fly."

"Jason Jack Robinson!" Pendanski shouted. "Get over here now."

Bones whined. "Oh come on man! What did I do now?"

"I saw and heard the whole thing. You know our rule. Whatever we talk about in counseling stays in counseling. And since your friends were in on this too; they can come as well."

Pendanski snatched Mark's recreation clothes from Grim and handed them to Mark. "Here you go. You can change in your tent."

Mark and his tent mates were once again on their counseling chairs.

"I can't believe we have to wash Mr. Sir's truck!" Chewy whined.

"Man! This is all your fault! I can't believe we let you talk us into this!" Snapper yelled at Bones.

"No, you guys are responsible for your own choices. No one talked you into anything." Pendanski told the boys. "Speaking of choices. That's going to be one of our topics for today's session."

Bones, Grim, Snapper, Speed, Chewy and Bomber groaned.

"People can always make their own choices but you're responsible for your own actions and the consequences. Like what you did to your new fellow tent mate. Now that wasn't very nice. It was wrong. I am here to help change your lives around but I can't do it without your help or cooperation. You only have one life to live, one life and so far, you've done a great job screwing it up for yourself." Pendanski explained.

After the session, Mark's tent mates had to clean Mr. Sir's truck Which wasn't too far away from The Warden's cabin. There was a bucket filled with water and soap and six yellow sponges.

"And I want it shiny Girl Scouts. I want it to be so shiny and clean that I can see my face, do I make myself clear?" Mr. Sir asked deadly serious.

"Yes Mr. Sir." The boys said.

"Good, now get to work. By the way, The Warden wants you to dig two holes tomorrow." Mr. Sir walked off.

"What?" Snapper whined. "Oh come on! That's not fair!"

"This new kid is really going to get it now. He's probably just sitting on his cot, looking all smug. He's only been here for like two days and he already thinks he's all that!" Bones ranted.

"So what are we going to do to him now?" Snapper asked.

Bones grinned. "You all know how much Mr. Sir loves his cigarettes, right? Well I was thinking of stealing the cigarettes from this truck tomorrow when he comes to refill our canteens and I'm going to make it look like new kid took them and he'll be in so much trouble."

The next day, it was around ten in the morning when Mr. Sir came to refill everyone's canteens.

"Okay, you ask Sir some questions and I'll sneak in his truck and get the cigarettes, alright?" Bones asked his friends.

They nodded.

"Alright, line up girl scouts or you can just lick the dirt." Mr. Sir joked.

"Hey, Mr. Sir," Grim began. "Why do we always have to drink water? Why can't we ever get any soda or beer? Why does it always have to be boring water?"

Bones snuck in the truck to get the cigarettes while Mr. Sir was distracted by Grim and the others.

"Because it's good for you. It helps with dehydration and it gives you strength. Water happens to be one of the healthiest things you can drink. You should be thanking me." Mr. Sir lectured.

"Thank you Mr. Sir." Grim, Bomber, Snapper, Chewy and Speed said.

Bones got the cigarettes out of the truck and dropped them near Mark's hole. He chuckled mischievously before walking off. unfortunately for him; Mr. Sir saw what he did. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?"

Bones jumped back. "What are you talking about?"

"I Saw you drop my cigarettes near his hole. You went into my truck and stole my cigarettes. I think the Warden would love to hear all about what you stole." Mr. Sir told him.

"Oh come on! Not The Warden again!" Bones whined.

Mr. Sir dragged him to the truck by his ear. "Get in the truck son."

At 12 when Mark was almost finished with his hole, Dr. Pendanski came to refill everyone's canteens.

Mark was the last to have his canteen refilled. "Um, was this place once called Green Lake and was my," He stopped himself from addressing Katherine as his great, great grandmother. "Was their a school teacher named Katherine Barlow?"

Pendanski was taken back by this question but answered anyway. "Uh, yes, this place was once called Green Lake and the Warden's grandfather owned it. Katherine was a school teacher until she became an outlaw."